Giving a little back to children at Christmas

Julian Hearne

A leading children’s charity is calling on volunteers to lend a hand over the busy festive period to help with the influx of donations.

By accepting donated clothing, each charity shop in Glasgow diverts an average of 34 tonnes a year of textiles from going to landfill.

And it is no surprise that Barnardo’s donation centre in Clydebank processes more items than any of the other six centres in Scotland.

It is the nerve-centre for the organisation’s distribution of donations to its 86 stores. Goods from furniture and electrical goods to clothes and accessories can be handed in, but volunteers are needed to sort, grade and redistributing stock to appropriate shops.

Manager Magdalene Davies, said: “Our donation centre is a unique place for volunteers of all backgrounds and skills to make a difference. Not only does the vital work they do here benefit the vulnerable children and families Barnardo’s Scotland supports by assisting in the fund raising of our organisation, but they can also feel proud to be part of making our world a little greener.

“So much waste goes to our landfills each year, but thanks to our donation centres it means that a little less makes it there and instead is re-homed through our shops. In our donation centres, volunteers can learn a host of new skills in retail and warehousing disciplines.”